CONCORD – Senate President Chuck Morse (R-Salem) and House Speaker Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) today announced the formation of a joint legislative task force to review potential legislation dealing with implications of the South Dakota v. Wayfair US Supreme Court decision on New Hampshire.
Rep. Norman Major (R-Plaistow), chair of the House Ways & Means committee, will chair the joint task force and Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) will serve as vice chair.
House members appointed to the task force include Rep. Pat Abrami (R-Stratham), Rep. Susan Almy (DLebanon), Rep. Richard Ames (D-Jaffrey), Rep. Barbara Griffin (R-Goffstown), Rep. Dick Hinch (R-Merrimack), Rep. Neal Kurk (R-Weare), Rep. Lynne Ober (R-Hudson), Rep. Bill Ohm (R-Nashua), and Rep. Stephen Shurtleff (D-Penacook). Senate members appointed to the task force include Sen. Kevin Avard (R-Nashua), Sen. Sharon Carson (RLondonderry), Sen. Lou D’Allesandro (D-Manchester), Sen. Gary Daniels (R-Milford), Sen. Dan Feltes (DConcord), and Sen. Bob Giuda (R-Warren).
An informational session for all legislators is scheduled for July 12 at 10 a.m. in Representatives Hall at the State House. Task force members and legislators will hear from an initial set of experts who have developed legislative concepts that the task force may be able utilize in making any recommendations. The task force will hold their first meeting following the information session and will follow that up with a series of work sessions on July 17, 18, & 19, with a deadline to issue a report and recommendation by July 19.
“I’m very proud of the team of legislators we’ve assembled, all of whom bring a wealth of expertise on policy areas relative to this court decision. We are confident that their work over the coming weeks, reviewing legislation and hearing from stakeholders, will produce a recommendation on legislation that the House and Senate can swiftly on, should a special session be approved by the governor and executive council,” said Speaker Chandler.
“New Hampshire is very proud to have no sales tax. Our retail business community thrives because of our ‘no sales tax’ environment. To ask our retailers to collect taxes for thousands of other jurisdictions would be a huge burden on them, and we want to identify ways to protect and defend them from the implications of this court decision,” added the speaker.